Rain poured heavily over the small city, turning the streets cold and empty. Inside a tiny apartment, the sound of shouting echoed through the walls.

Nineteen-year-old Lin Yue stood frozen in the middle of the living room, her college bag slipping from her shoulder. Her eyes trembled as she looked at the woman she had called “Mother” her entire life.

“W-What did you just say…?” Yue whispered.

Her mother, Madam Zhao, crossed her arms coldly.

“You heard me correctly,” she snapped. “You are not my daughter.”

The world around Yue seemed to stop.

Madam Zhao pointed at her angrily. “I picked you up from the streets when you were a baby. You were abandoned like garbage! If I hadn’t brought you home, you would’ve died long ago.”

Yue’s lips trembled. Tears slowly filled her eyes.

“All these years…” she said softly, “I called you mother…”

Before she could finish, another girl walked down the stairs wearing expensive clothes and jewelry. She was Madam Zhao’s real daughter — Qing Qing.

Qing Qing smirked proudly.

“Mom, why are you wasting time explaining things to her?” she mocked. “She should feel grateful we even fed her.”

Yue looked at Qing Qing in disbelief.

“You knew…?”

“Of course I knew,” Qing Qing laughed. “And now it’s time for you to repay our kindness.”

Madam Zhao suddenly threw a contract onto the table.

“Tomorrow, you’ll marry Mr. Liu.”

Yue’s face turned pale.

“Mr. Liu? That old man is almost sixty!”

“So what?” Madam Zhao shouted. “He offered two million yuan! Our family debt will disappear after this marriage.”

Yue stepped back in horror.

“You’re selling me…?”

Qing Qing rolled her eyes. “Don’t act innocent. A poor orphan like you should be thankful someone even wants you.”

Yue clenched her fists tightly.

“No… I won’t do it.”

Madam Zhao’s expression darkened instantly.

“You don’t have a choice!”

She grabbed Yue’s arm harshly, but Yue pushed her away for the first time in her life.

“I spent years loving this family,” Yue cried. “I worked part-time jobs, cooked, cleaned, and obeyed everything you said… but to you, I was nothing more than a tool!”

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Then Madam Zhao slapped her hard across the face.

“Ungrateful girl!”

Yue held her burning cheek, tears falling endlessly.

At that moment, something inside her finally broke.

Without another word, she grabbed her bag and ran out into the storm.

“Stop her!” Madam Zhao screamed.

But Yue kept running.

The rain soaked her clothes as she ran through the dark streets, her heart full of pain and betrayal.

She didn’t know where to go anymore.

Suddenly—

SCREECH!

A black luxury car lost control near the roadside and crashed violently into a barrier.

Yue gasped.

People nearby panicked and ran away, afraid of getting involved.

But Yue rushed toward the car.

Inside, a handsome man in a black suit leaned weakly against the seat. Blood stained the corner of his lips, and his breathing was unstable.

His sharp eyes slowly opened.

“Help…” he whispered painfully.

Yue noticed his body burning with fever and poison.

“Oh my god…”

The man suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly.

“They betrayed me…” he murmured. “My third brother… poisoned me…”

Yue hesitated for only a second before helping him out of the car.

Far away, hidden in another vehicle, a man watched coldly.

The Third Young Master of the Song family narrowed his eyes.

“So he’s still alive…” he muttered darkly.

Back in the alley, Yue struggled to support the injured man.

“Stay awake!” she said anxiously.

The man looked at her blurry face under the rain.

For the first time in years, someone had chosen to save him instead of abandoning him.

“What’s your name…?” he asked weakly.

“Lin Yue.”

The man’s lips moved slowly.

“Song… Chen…”

Before Yue could respond, he collapsed into her arms unconscious.

Thunder roared across the sky.

And neither of them realized—

This accidental meeting would completely change both their lives forever.

Soft golden sunlight slipped through the velvet curtains of the presidential suite, warming the cold marble floors of the luxurious hotel room.

Lin Yue slowly opened her eyes.

For a moment, she forgot where she was.

The unfamiliar ceiling, the scent of expensive perfume, the silence—it all felt unreal.

Then suddenly—

Last night’s memories came rushing back.

The rain.

The car crash.

The poisoned man collapsing in her arms.

Yue quickly sat up on the sofa where she had fallen asleep. Her clothes had already been changed into clean, comfortable pajamas provided by the hotel staff.

“Awake already?”

A deep voice echoed from nearby.

Yue turned her head instantly.

Standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows was the man she had saved last night.

Song Chen.

Under the morning light, he looked even more intimidating than before. His black shirt was neatly pressed, his sharp jawline cold and elegant, and his powerful aura filled the entire room effortlessly.

Yet despite his calm appearance, there was exhaustion hidden behind his eyes.

Yue stood nervously.

“You… you’re okay now?”

Song Chen gave a faint nod.

“My doctor arrived during the night.” His gaze softened slightly. “Thanks to you, the poison didn’t spread further.”

Yue lowered her eyes awkwardly.

“I only helped because you were injured…”

Song Chen walked slowly toward the mahogany table in the center of the room.

On top of it rested a black card trimmed with gold.

The moment Yue saw it, she froze.

Even she, an ordinary college student, recognized what it was.

A global unlimited black card.

Song Chen picked it up calmly and placed it before her.

“There is exactly 200 million yuan on this card,” he said in his deep, steady voice. “Consider it a reward for last night. For saving my life when everything was falling apart.”

Yue’s eyes widened in shock.

“Two… two hundred million?!”

Her voice almost cracked.

She immediately stepped back.

“I-I can’t take this!”

Song Chen looked at her quietly.

“Why not?”

“That amount of money…” Yue shook her head rapidly. “I only helped you because you were dying. I wasn’t expecting anything in return.”

For the first time, a trace of surprise crossed Song Chen’s cold face.

Most people would’ve lost their minds over such wealth.

But this girl refused it without hesitation.

Interesting.

“You saved the heir of the Song Group,” he said calmly. “Your reward is deserved.”

Yue bit her lip.

“No matter who you are… a life shouldn’t have a price.”

The room fell silent.

Song Chen stared at her for several seconds, his unreadable eyes fixed on her trembling figure.

Then suddenly—

A dark laugh escaped his lips.

Yue blinked in confusion.

“Did I say something strange?”

Song Chen shook his head slowly.

“No.” His gaze deepened. “It’s just been a long time since I met someone like you.”

Someone pure.

Someone who looked at him like a human instead of a walking fortune.

At that moment, the hotel suite door opened.

A tall assistant hurried inside nervously.

“President Song!”

The assistant froze the second he noticed Yue standing there.

A woman?

Inside Song Chen’s private suite?

Impossible.

Song Chen’s expression instantly returned cold.

“What is it, Xu Kai?”

Xu Kai lowered his head quickly.

“The board members are already pressuring the company. Your third brother is spreading rumors that you’re critically ill.” His voice turned serious. “Several shareholders are beginning to support him.”

A dangerous silence filled the room.

Yue could feel the tension immediately.

Song Chen’s eyes darkened like a storm.

“That snake moves quickly.”

Xu Kai hesitated before speaking again.

“We still haven’t found proof that he poisoned you.”

Song Chen’s fingers tightened slightly.

“He won’t stop until I’m dead.”

Yue looked at him quietly.

For the first time, she realized that beneath his wealth and power was a man completely surrounded by betrayal.

It reminded her painfully of her own situation.

Family.

The word suddenly felt disgusting.

Song Chen noticed her expression.

“You should leave this place soon,” he said calmly. “The Song family conflict is dangerous. Getting involved with me will only bring trouble to your life.”

Yue lowered her gaze.

Trouble?

She almost laughed bitterly.

Her own family had already sold her like an object.

Where else could she even go?

As if reading her thoughts, Song Chen suddenly asked—

“Do you have somewhere to stay?”

Yue remained silent.

That silence alone answered everything.

Xu Kai looked shocked.

The CEO’s gaze slowly softened again.

Without another word, Song Chen pushed the black card closer to her.

“Take it.”

Yue looked at him helplessly.

“I really can’t…”

“This isn’t charity,” he interrupted calmly. “It’s protection.”

She frowned slightly.

“What do you mean?”

Song Chen’s sharp eyes locked onto hers.

“If the people chasing me discover your identity, they may target you too.” His voice became lower. “With this card, you can survive.”

Yue’s heart trembled.

For the first time since running away from home, someone was thinking about her safety.

Not using her.

Not abandoning her.

Protecting her.

Her fingers slowly tightened.

Tears threatened to rise again, but she forced them back.

Song Chen suddenly stepped closer.

“Lin Yue.”

Her breathing stopped for a moment hearing him say her name.

“You saved my life,” he said quietly. “From now on, no one will force you to bow your head again.”

His words struck directly into her broken heart.

Outside the hotel windows, the city continued moving endlessly.

But inside that silent room—

Two lonely people, both betrayed by family, had unknowingly begun walking toward the same fate.

The luxurious hotel suite fell silent.

The black card still rested untouched on the mahogany table, glowing under the morning sunlight like a dangerous temptation. Yet Lin Yue didn’t even look at it again.

Instead, she slowly stepped back.

“I don’t want greedily enormous wealth, Mr. Song,” she said softly.

Her voice was calm, but Song Chen noticed the slight trembling in her fingers.

“I didn’t help you for a payday.”

Xu Kai stared at her in disbelief.

Did this girl even understand what she was refusing?

That card could buy mansions, companies—even entire lives.

But Yue’s eyes remained strangely clear.

She took a quiet breath before continuing.

“But… I am in a desperate situation.” Her lashes lowered slightly. “I don’t need 200 million. I only need 2 million. Exactly 2 million.”

The moment those words left her mouth, the atmosphere changed.

Song Chen narrowed his eyes.

“Exactly 2 million?”

Yue nodded silently.

Not 1.9 million.

Not 2.1 million.

Exactly 2 million.

It sounded less like a request… and more like a price.

Xu Kai immediately became cautious.

“Miss Lin,” he said carefully, “if you truly need help, President Song can arrange anything for you. Why insist on that specific amount?”

Yue’s fingers tightened beside her.

“That’s my personal matter.”

Her answer was polite, yet firm enough to end the conversation.

Xu Kai frowned slightly.

The girl looked harmless, but her mysterious behavior made no sense.

Meanwhile, Song Chen remained silent, observing her carefully.

Her clothes were simple and worn from yesterday’s rain. Her eyes carried exhaustion far beyond her age. Yet despite standing before unimaginable wealth, she asked for only one specific amount.

Almost like…

She had already calculated the exact cost of escaping something terrible.

Song Chen’s voice became quieter.

“What happens after you receive the 2 million?”

Yue froze for half a second.

Then she forced a faint smile.

“That’s also my personal matter.”

The room became still again.

For some reason, her answer irritated Song Chen slightly.

Not because she rejected his money—

But because she was hiding pain behind those calm eyes.

And he hated secrets.

Especially when they reminded him of himself.

Suddenly, Yue reached for her old canvas bag lying beside the sofa.

“I’m sorry for troubling you this long,” she said politely. “Once I borrow the money, I’ll write an IOU and repay you slowly in the future.”

Xu Kai almost choked hearing her words.

Repay him?

The richest man in Jiang City?

Was this girl serious?

But Song Chen did not laugh.

Instead, his gaze darkened.

“You think I care about repayment?”

Yue looked up at him quietly.

“I care.”

For a brief moment, Song Chen’s heartbeat strangely paused.

Nobody around him ever spoke to him this way.

No greed.

No fear.

No fake admiration.

Just stubborn dignity.

Yue lowered her head slightly.

“My mother always said that poor people lose their self-respect the moment they accept charity.” Her voice became softer. “I don’t want to become that kind of person.”

A shadow crossed Song Chen’s eyes.

Mother.

That word again.

His own family had poisoned him for power.

And this girl clearly carried wounds of her own.

Xu Kai’s phone suddenly vibrated.

After reading the message, his expression changed immediately.

“President Song,” he said seriously, “your third brother’s men are searching nearby hotels. Someone may have leaked your location.”

Yue’s face paled slightly.

“I should leave.”

She immediately picked up her bag.

But before she could take another step—

Song Chen grabbed her wrist.

The warmth of his hand shocked her instantly.

“You can’t leave now,” he said coldly.

Yue looked at him in confusion.

“If those people discover you helped me, they’ll investigate you too.”

Xu Kai nodded seriously.

“The Third Young Master is ruthless. Witnesses usually disappear."

Yue’s breathing became uneven.

Disappear?

For the first time, fear truly entered her eyes.

Song Chen slowly released her wrist, but his gaze never left her face.

“Stay here temporarily,” he said calmly. “Until I settle things.”

Yue instinctively shook her head.

“I don’t want to involve myself in your family war.”

“You already are involved.”

His blunt answer silenced her.

Outside the window, dark clouds slowly gathered again, covering the morning sunlight.

The atmosphere inside the suite grew heavier.

Yue looked down quietly, her thoughts in chaos.

All she wanted was 2 million.

Just enough to solve the nightmare chasing her.

Nothing more.

But somehow, after meeting this dangerous man—

Everything was becoming more complicated.

Song Chen suddenly placed the black card back into her hand.

“This card stays with you for now.”

Yue immediately tried returning it.

“I said I only need—”

“Then use only 2 million,” he interrupted calmly.

Her lips parted slightly.

Song Chen stepped closer, his deep eyes locking onto hers.

“But until you tell me the real reason…” his voice lowered dangerously, “…don’t even think about disappearing from my sight.”